The End of Time is a fabulous modern story about the differences and similarities between people of all races and religions.

Told in first person with empathy and humour, it centres on on the story of two teenage Syrian brothers trying to reach the U.K. where they hope to leave the war behind them and start a new life.

One of the brothers insists on bringing a strange man named Jesus along with them, despite the fact that he’s an alcoholic and more of a hindrance than a help. Along the way they discover random kindness and cruelty and start to question the existence of divine intervention.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s written in an easy-reading style that allows you to become immersed in the story but also pause and think about the questions it raises along the way. The quirky, earnest characters will stay with me for a long time.

Author Gavin Extence has an uncanny ability to draw the western reader in and build empathy with the perceived ‘other’ that is the seething mass of refugees making their way into and across Europe.

Maybe you’ve struggled to understand why people flee their own country to seek refuge elsewhere, or maybe you’ve wondered how people manage to make it to their chosen country of refuge at all. If this describes you, or someone you know, The End of Time is an excellent book in which to seek answers.

You'll feel your heart being tugged when you read this. The plight of two teenage boys, fleeing the war in Syria is bound to be a heart breaker. I am a fan of this author having read two of his previous books and loved them. He has a way of writing about big issues with a gentle hand which is endearing and completely engaging and that is what he has done here. Through the eyes of his main character Zain, he takes through the myriad issues that face refugees. The fact that they are leaving their homes and loved ones and setting off on a journey to an unknown place with a completely unknown future, lack of money, it is dangerous and with what at times seem like insurmountable difficulties.

Zain and Mohammad wash up on a beach in Greece and then swim from there to Turkey at what is just the beginning of their long journey hoping to get to the U.K. it seems such an unlikely goal but they are gritty kids. On the beach they meet an elderly man called Jesus, he rescues them but in turn they rescue him and he becomes their travelling companion. He is difficult and worst of all is a very bad alcoholic but Zain feels a responsibility for him even if Mohammad is less keen, but then Mohammad is 14 and very self absorbed, understandable in one so young who has been wrenched from everything he knows and loves. Zain is sensible, he manages Mohammad so well, he promised his mum as they left that he would always look after his little brother and this is a promise he is determined to keep. These three will travel through country after country on their quest but on the way they will find strength and love and discover who they are along the way. The boys will discover that Jesus has a secret, they will cope with his alcoholism, they will become separated and there will be danger and sadness galore. The scenes at the end of the book are totally stunning and incredibly moving, tears were shed.

I only have a tiny criticism of this book, it is just slightly too long and could have been tighter in places but really it is one of those treasures of a story that we need in our lives right now. It is moving and topical. I was cheering for these boys from the start.

Thanks to the publishers and to Netgalley for giving me access to this lovely book.

Imagine this. You are a teenage boy, and instead of wondering which video games are trending or if your peers approve of your new haircut, you are fleeing your war-torn country in search of a safer life. To begin this journey which will span months, you must first swim across the open ocean from Turkey to Greece carrying your only belongings on your back. You have no idea wether the parents you left behind are alive. Oh, and you are also responsible for your younger brother. This sometimes depressing, other times charming tale of two Syrian brothers seeking asylum in the United Kingdom was an insight into the ordeal that so many face, and some simply do not survive. It champions two siblings; Zain is the level-headed older brother whose unwavering morals continually see him putting others needs before his own throughout the story, regardless of his own harrowing situation. Mohammed is a scrappy little rain cloud of a fourteen year old, full of cuss words and obscene gestures. His witty presence in the story was a highlight for me. Their path becomes entangled with a functioning alcoholic named Jesus and together they overcome language barriers and physical barriers with grace, humour and intense bravery. It is historical fiction which shines a spotlight on the Calais riots and subsequent disruption to the Eurotunnel. But it also spotlights resilience in the face of adversity, and the ability for humans to turn towards each other with love and understanding, instead of turning away.
Star Rating 3/5
Many thanks to the wonderful publishers at Hachette and Net Galley for the privilege of an advanced copy to review.